UMC honored with award from Nissan

Universal Motors Corp. (UMC), assembler and distributor of Nissan light commercial vehicles and SUVs in the Philippines, will receive the inaugural Executive Vice President Award from Nissan. Honored for its record-breaking sales performance, UMC is the only Nissan distributor in Asia, from among over 100 members of the Nissan Global Network, to be awarded this distinction. The only other countries honored are Canada, Italy, Brazil, Algeria and USA (Hawaii).

In a recent visit by top-level Nissan executives led by Fortune’s Man of the Year, Carlos Ghosn, president & CEO, Norio Matsumura, EVP, and Toshiyuki Shiga, SVP, UMC and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. discussed the expansion of UMC’s light commercial vehicle model line-up to include more competitive multi-purpose and sport-utility vehicles (MPVs/SUVs) to increase Nissan’s brand share in the commercial vehicle market.

Bouyed by the strong market presence of Nissan LVCs in the segments served by the UMC, Ghosn expressed confidence that an expanded commercial vehicle line-up will boost Nissan’s market share in the Philippines and contribute significantly to Nissan’s global 180 plan of which a major objective is to add one million unit sales by 2005. UMC’s Nissan Frontier has enjoyed the No. 1 position in the pickup segment for two consecutive years and continues to be No. 1 for the first semester in 2002. The Urvan models have so far registered a robust 25 percent growth over the first semester last year and occupies a strong No. 2 position among all vans. UMC’s prestige model, the Nissan Patrol, remains the premium choice among the elite buyers of full wagons.

Elizabeth Lee, SVP for marketing of UMC, disclosed that several new models will be introduced within the next three years to fulfill UMC’s commitments to the Nissan 180 plan. "Definitely another SUV model, probably two, will be our priority. We believe the market is ready for sportier and even more luxurious SUVs like the Xterra and the Infiniti QX4 and similar models." Also in the works in UMC’s own AUV model based on the current pickup (D22) platform, plus other new models from Nissan’s extensive commercial vehicle line-up. UMC expressed confidence that the market demand for these vehicles will accelerate in the coming years and, with UMC’s expanded line-up of Nissan commercial vehicles she said, "This decade is shaping up to be Nissan’s renaissance in the Philippines."

UMC celebrated its 30th year of partnership with Nissan last year, a long-standing alliance unparalleled in the local automotive industry.